123,123 research outputs found
A verification procedure for MSC/NASTRAN Finite Element Models
Finite Element Models (FEM's) are used in the design and analysis of aircraft to mathematically describe the airframe structure for such diverse tasks as flutter analysis and actively controlled landing gear design. FEM's are used to model the entire airplane as well as airframe components. The purpose of this document is to describe recommended methods for verifying the quality of the FEM's and to specify a step-by-step procedure for implementing the methods
Verifying the Safety of a Flight-Critical System
This paper describes our work on demonstrating verification technologies on a
flight-critical system of realistic functionality, size, and complexity. Our
work targeted a commercial aircraft control system named Transport Class Model
(TCM), and involved several stages: formalizing and disambiguating requirements
in collaboration with do- main experts; processing models for their use by
formal verification tools; applying compositional techniques at the
architectural and component level to scale verification. Performed in the
context of a major NASA milestone, this study of formal verification in
practice is one of the most challenging that our group has performed, and it
took several person months to complete it. This paper describes the methodology
that we followed and the lessons that we learned.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figure
Obtaining Formal Models through Non-Monotonic Refinement
When designing a model for formal verification, we want to\ud
be certain that what we proved about the model also holds for the system we modelled. This raises the question of whether our model represents the system, and what makes us confident about this. By performing so called, non-monotonic refinement in the modelling process, we make the steps and decisions explicit. This helps us to (1) increase the confidence that the model represents the system, (2) structure and organize the communication with domain experts and the problem owner, and (3) identify rational steps made while modelling. We focus on embedded control systems
A scalable line-independent design algorithm for voltage and frequency control in AC islanded microgrids
We propose a decentralized control synthesis procedure for stabilizing
voltage and frequency in AC Islanded microGrids (ImGs) composed of Distributed
Generation Units (DGUs) and loads interconnected through power lines. The
presented approach enables Plug-and-Play (PnP) operations, meaning that DGUs
can be added or removed without compromising the overall ImG stability. The
main feature of our approach is that the proposed design algorithm is
line-independent. This implies that (i) the synthesis of each local controller
requires only the parameters of the corresponding DGU and not the model of
power lines connecting neighboring DGUs, and (ii) whenever a new DGU is plugged
in, DGUs physically coupled with it do not have to retune their regulators
because of the new power line connected to them. Moreover, we formally prove
that stabilizing local controllers can be always computed, independently of the
electrical parameters. Theoretical results are validated by simulating in PSCAD
the behavior of a 10-DGUs ImG
An Analysis and Enumeration of the Blockchain and Future Implications
The blockchain is a relatively new technology that has grown in interest and potential research since its inception. Blockchain technology is dominated by cryptocurrency in terms of usage. Research conducted in the past few years, however, reveals blockchain has the potential to revolutionize several different industries. The blockchain consists of three major technologies: a peer-to-peer network, a distributed database, and asymmetrically encrypted transactions. The peer-to-peer network enables a decentralized, consensus-based network structure where various nodes contribute to the overall network performance. A distributed database adds additional security and immutability to the network. The process of cryptographically securing individual transactions forms a core service of the blockchain and enables semi-anonymous user network presence
LARES-lab: a thermovacuum facility for research and e-learning. Tests of LARES satellite components and small payloads for e-learning
LARES, an Italian Space Agency satellite, has been launched successfully in 2012. A small thermovacuum facility has been designed and built specifically for performing tests on the optical components of the satellite. Due to the extremely demanding performances of the optical cube corner reflectors, the space conditions have been simulated using the most up-to-date technology available. In particular Sun, Earth and deep space can be simulated in a ultra high vacuum. It is planned to automate the facility so that it can be operated remotely over the internet. The students during the lectures and the researchers from home will be able to perform thermal tests on specimens by exposing them, for specified amount of time, toward Earth, Sun or deep space. They will collect pressures and temperatures and will input additional thermal power through resistive heaters. The paper will first describe the facility and its capabilities showing the tests performed on LARES satellite components but will focus mainly to the planned upgrades that improve its remote use both for research and e-learning
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